This invention relates to accessories for stepladders, and more particularly to a tray adapted to be quickly attached to and detached from the side rails or stringers of a stepladder without the use of any type of fasteners.
When working upon a stepladder it is often desirable for a workman to have a convenient place to store small parts, tools, equipment, or place paint cans, buckets or the like in the immediate vicinity of the work being carried on. This minimizes the number of times the workman must decend and reascend the ladder. Some stepladders include a foldable shelf hingedly positioned near the top thereof and foldable down to a position extending horizontally from the rear side of the stepladder. This position is not always convenient or at a convenient level, depending upon where the workman is position on the ladder. Generally such foldable shelf extends outwardly away from the person using the ladder so that at most times it is not conveniently accessible. Often the shelf has been completely broken off the stepladder.
A few approaches to the problem have used some type of hanger to suspend buckets or provide a tray that rests on a single side rail of the ladder. Exemplary approaches are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 768,364; 3,822,847; and 3,052,442.
The present invention, on the other hand is directed to a detachable tray for mounting between the adjacent diverging rails or stringers of one side of a conventional stepladder, so that it may be easily accessible to the workman regardless of his position on the ladder. While the tray of the present invention needs no fasteners, it securely locks into position, is self-leveling, remains level during usage, and is quickly and easily detachable.
As envisioned by the present invention, one of the side walls of the tray includes a stepladder side rail engaging bracket means associated therewith. The aforesaid bracket means forms the heart of the present invention and includes opposed, diverging channel members protruding outwardly from the side wall of the tray which connect to and attach upon the exposed edges of one pair of side rails (front and rear) when the stepladder is placed in the open, operative position. The angle formed between the diverging channels is substantially the same as the angle formed by the diverging front and rear side rails of the erected stepladder. The tray itself may either be flat (in the form of a platform) upon which cans, buckets, tool boxes, and the like may be placed; or alternatively, the tray configuration may be that of a compartmentalized tray which carries a variety of small pieces and components which would be useful for plumbers and electricians. The tray may also include a carrying handle.
Such an arrangement provides a support tray which may be quickly and easily attached to and detached from the adjacent diverging which form one side of a stepladder. When the tray is emplaced it tends to substantially level itself and assumes a secure position that will neither wobble nor tilt.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved detachable support tray for use in conjunction with stepladders.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a detachable tray of the type described which is securely emplaced, remains level, and will not swing or wobble during usage thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tray of the type described which is compartmentalized.